Mugabe should be president for life, says his deputy

Nov 18, 2007, 12:15 GMT

Johannesburg/Harare(dpa) - The practice of limiting presidents to a couple of terms in office is 'a luxury' and President Robert Mugabe should continue to rule until he dies, according to Zimbabwe's vice- president.

Joseph Msika, 84, one of two vice-presidents of both the ruling party and the government, was quoted in the state-controlled Sunday Mail as he backed the 83-year-old leader as the party's sole candidate for presidential elections expected in March 2008.

The ruling party is due to hold an extraordinary congress in December at which the only topic of significance is the ratification of Mugabe's candidature and prevent any others from standing. The national constitution has not limited periods in office since an executive presidency was passed in 1987.

Mugabe has been in power continuously for 27 years, since independence from British colonial rule in 1980.

'We do not change leaders as fast we change our shirts,' Msika said. 'In Zimbabwe we do not accept that. So the issue of changing a leader after a specified period is out of the question. It is a luxury we cannot afford. If they are still serving the people, then they should stay on or even die there.'

Zimbabwe is in the throes of dramatic economic decline, with gdp having shrunk 40 per cent in the last seven years, inflation at 15,000 per cent and the currency, which was at parity with British Sterling at independence, now worth 0000003 Pounds Sterling.

Famine has set in for the fifth consecutive year in the west of the country, the supply of goods to shops and supermarkets has almost totally dried up, fuel is critically scarce and businesses, farmers and private homes suffer from continual power and water cuts as infrastructure in what was Africa's second most highly developed country, crumbles.

The collapse is blamed on continuous misrule and reckless economic decisions, from the lawless seizure of productive white-owned farmland from 2000, to price controls decreed in June that forced retailers to sell their goods at prices far lower than the wholesale prices.

Mugabe blames the situation on an alleged plot by Western governments to overthrow him.

Msika said Zimbabwe had 'continued to excel under Comrade Mugabe's leadership.' Last week Mugabe declared that the country 'will not collapse, now or in future.'

Msika's remarks are expected to raise eyebrows amongst regional Southern African leaders who are shepherding talks between Mugabe's ruling ZANU(PF) party and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, with major democratic reforms on the agenda, including the limiting of presidential terms of office.